The invention relates to brush seals and methods of using brush seals.
Brush seals are utilized in a wide variety of environments to provide a seal between a housing and a rotating shaft disposed in the housing, for example. Illustratively, brush seals may be utilized in power generation turbines. For example, the rotating shaft may be a rotor in the power generation turbine. Brush seal construction typically includes a set of bristles. The set of bristles is annular shaped and may be mounted on some type of supporting structure. Also, the set of bristles may be contained between a front plate and a back plate, which might be integral with the supporting structure, for example. Typically, the set of bristles, the front plate and the back plate are each annular shaped so as to encircle the rotating shaft that is to be sealed.
Each bristle in the set of bristles is oriented with the rotating shaft in what might be characterized as a cant angle. If the cant angle of the set of bristles is positioned in the wrong direction, any contact of the rotating shaft with the set of bristles, i.e., the bristle pack, will instantaneously damage the brush seal. These and other potential problems are present utilizing known techniques for installing and using brush seals.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a brush seal provides a seal between a support housing and a rotating shaft, the brush seal comprising a support portion; a back plate connected to and extending from the support portion on a back side of the support portion; a set of bristles attached to the support portion, the back plate disposed on a back side of the set of bristles and supporting the set of bristles; and at least one fitting portion connected to and extending from the support portion, each of the at least one fitting portion configured to mate with a corresponding slot in the support housing so as to prevent mis-fit of the brush seal in the support housing.
In accordance with a further aspect, the invention provides a method for preventing the mis-fit of a brush seal into a slot within a support housing, the slot having geometrical dimensions, and the brush seal for providing a seal between the support housing and a rotating shaft, the method comprising the steps of providing a brush seal, the brush seal comprising a support portion; a back plate connected to and extending from the support portion on a back side of the support portion; a set of bristles attached to the support portion, the back plate disposed on a back side of the set of bristles and supporting the set of bristles; and at least one fitting portion connected to and extending from the support portion, each of the at least one fitting portion configured to mate with the slot in the support housing. The method further includes determining a geometry of the slot in the support housing; determining if the at least one fitting portion of the brush seal possesses geometry that corresponds to the geometry of the slot; positioning the at least one fitting portion within the support housing, so as to connect the brush seal with the support housing, if the at least one fitting portion possesses a geometry that corresponds to the geometry of the slot of the support housing; and obtaining an additional brush seal if the at least one fitting portion of the brush seal does not possess a geometry that corresponds to the geometry of the slot of the support housing.
In accordance with a further aspect, the invention provides a kit of brush seals for providing a seal between a support housing and a rotating shaft, the kit of brush seals including a first brush seal, the first brush seal including a first support portion; a first back plate connected to and extending from the first support portion on a back side of the first support portion; a first set of bristles attached to the first support portion, the first back plate disposed on a back side of the first set of bristles and supporting the first set of bristles; and at least one first fitting portion connected to and extending from the first support portion, each of the at least one first fitting portion configured to mate with a first corresponding slot in the support housing so as to prevent mis-fit of the first brush seal in the support housing. The kit further includes a second brush seal, the second brush seal including a second support portion; a second back plate connected to and extending from the second support portion on a back side of the second support portion; a second set of bristles attached to the second support portion, the second back plate disposed on a back side of the second set of bristles and supporting the second set of bristles; and at least one second fitting portion connected to and extending from the second support portion, each of the at least one second fitting portion configured to mate with a second corresponding slot in the support housing so as to prevent mis-fit of the second brush seal in the support housing; wherein the at least one first fitting portion is geometrical shaped different than the at least one second fitting portion; wherein each of the first brush seal and the second brush seal is fittable into a first slot in the support housing and a second slot in the support housing, respectively; and wherein each of the first brush seal and the second brush seal is not fittable into the second slot in the support housing and the first slot in the support housing, respectively.
In accordance with a further aspect, the invention provides a brush seal for providing a seal between a support housing and a rotating shaft, the brush seal comprising a support portion; a back plate connected to and extending from the support portion on a back side of the support portion; a front plate connected to and extending from the support portion on a front side of the support portion; a set of bristles attached to the support portion, the back plate disposed on a back side of the set of bristles and supporting the set of bristles, and the front plate disposed on a front side of the set of bristles and supporting the set of bristles; and at least one fitting portion connected to and extending from the support portion, each of the at least one fitting portions configured to mate with a corresponding slot in the support housing so as to prevent mis-fit of the brush seal in the support housing, the support portion being integrally formed with each of the at least one fitting portions.
In accordance with a further aspect, the invention provides a method for preventing the mis-fit of a brush seal into a slot within a support housing in a turbine, the slot having geometrical dimensions, and the brush seal for providing a seal between the support housing in the turbine and a rotating shaft, the method comprising the steps of providing a brush seal, the brush seal comprising a support portion; a front plate connected to and extending from the support portion on a front side of the support portion; a back plate connected to and extending from the support portion on a back side of the support portion; a set of bristles attached to the support portion, the back plate disposed on a back side of the set of bristles and supporting the set of bristles, the front plate disposed on a front side of the set of bristles and supporting the set of bristles; and at least one fitting portion connected to and extending from the support portion, each of the at least one fitting portion configured to mate with the slot in the support housing. The method further includes determining a geometry of the slot in the support housing; determining if the at least one fitting portion of the brush seal possesses geometry that corresponds to the geometry of the slot; positioning the at least one fitting portion within the support housing, so as to connect the brush seal with the support housing, if the at least one fitting portion possesses a geometry that corresponds to the geometry of the slot of the support housing; and obtaining an additional brush seal if the at least one fitting portion of the brush seal does not possess a geometry that corresponds to the geometry of the slot of the support housing; wherein the at least one fitting portion is two fitting portions, the two fitting portions including a front fitting portion and a back fitting portion, and wherein the front fitting portion is connected to and extends from the front side of the support portion; and the back fitting portion is connected to and extends from the back side of the support portion, the front fitting portion having a geometry and the back fitting portion having a geometry, the geometry of the front fitting portion being different than the geometry of the back fitting portion.